DURHAM, N.C. – Four Duke women’s soccer standouts received accolades from TopDrawerSoccer.com as it released the Preseason Best XI teams prior to preseason practice kicking off next week. Natasha Anasi and Laura Weinberg earned second team honors, Mollie Pathman received third team accolades and incoming freshman Toni Payne was named to the All-Freshman team.

Coming off advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight for the fourth time out of the last six years, Duke returns seven starters off its 15-6-2 squad from 2012 under the direction of head coach Robbie Church.

Anasi, who is a product of Arlington, Texas, started all 23 games for the Blue Devils at the center back position in 2012. A two-time NSCAA All-America and the 2011 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Anasi registered two assists last season and guided the Blue Devils to six shutouts on the year. She logged a team-high 2,017 minutes.

A native of Boca Raton, Fla., Weinberg is coming off a breakout junior campaign collecting 16 goals, 12 assists and a school-record 44 points last season. Her 16 goals were tied for a team high and was a career high, while ranking tied for second on Duke’s single-season chart. Weinberg, a Soccer America MVP in 2012, also notched five game-winning goals and registered eight of her 16 goals against ACC opponents. Over her career, Weinberg has scored 34 goals and posted 86 points to rank tied for fourth and fifth, respectively, on Duke’s career lists.

Pathman, who is out of Durham, N.C., is a two-time All-ACC selection at Duke. She has played in 63 career games, recording 15 goals and 22 assists. Pathman competed in only 16 matches a year ago due to representing the United States at the 2012 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan. The 5-4 senior forward/defender totaled one goal and six assists in 2012.

Payne, who was the 2013 Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year, scored 47 goals and registered 35 assists as a senior, leading Oak Mountain High School (22-4-2) to the Class 6A state championship game. Payne, who is from Birmingham, Ala., was the 2012 Birmingham News Player of the Year. She concluded her prep soccer career with 141 goals and 92 assists.

Duke opens preseason practice on Wednesday, Aug. 7 and then will open the 2013 season on Friday, Aug. 23 at Texas A&M.